Category: Cinematic Musings

In the Fast and the Furious franchise, the most common word uttered is “family.” It is used more frequently than “Corona” or “car” because this world that Vin Diesel runs is bizarrely sincere. Even as cars fall out of planes or burst through skyscrapers, there is the idea that all of this is happening because of the characters’ love for each other. Whether or not that is effective will be a conversation for the other films. Why 2 Fast 2 Furious is my pick for the worst in the franchise is because it abandoned that heart. Continue reading

Holidays mean good food, mediocre movies and trying not to strangle family. Join The Immortals’ Leigh and her brother, Robert, while they watch their favorite Christmas movie, White Christmas, and make fun of the bad dancing, bad lip syncing, and bad writing. They’ll share tidbits they’ve learned about this beloved classic after years and years of watching it every Christmas Eve on repeat. They can’t promise this commentary will bring peace on earth or snow to your Christmas celebrations, but it will at least provide you with a two hour distraction from your family with a two hour divergence with this family.

Yes, of course the title is clickbait but it’s clickbait with a good purpose. That said, I do believe in the title. I liked The Force Awakens, I was rather impressed by the Clone Wars TV Show and there have been some fun video games. But none of them have captured joy, cleverness and emotional weight that the Campaign podcast has brought to the world.

Campaign is a story that has gone on for 76 main episodes. It uses the mechanics of the role playing game Edge of the Empire. I remain rather new when it comes to RPGs, but from what I’ve seen from the little I’ve played and what I’ve observed through Campaign—it’s a system that is run on imagination and empathy.

“What are The 39 Steps?” It is the question that is shouted at the climax of the movie and is the question that is ever-present for all the scenes leading up to it. It is the question that led mild-mannered Richard Hannay to be on the run for his innocence and it is the question that is causing mysterious men to act towards murder. Is the answer to the question satisfying? Sure, but it’s really one of the first examples where Alfred Hitchcock argues that it really doesn’t matter.

In January of 2016, Austin Lugar and Nick Rogers decided to take part in a contest to see who could see the least amount of movie trailers. They wrote about it on the site and even bothered to updated their journey. Twice. Now they’re returning to see what they’ve learned. Or haven’t learned. Whatever, they’re heroes for doing this.

Carrie Fisher’s loss has hit me. Hard. So hard. It’s difficult to put into words how much someone you’ve never met means to you. I always feel like memoriams of dead celebrities read false and disingenuous. But I’m going to share why she’s so important to me anyway.

Carrie Fisher is my feminist spirit guide.

Almost a year ago, at the end of last December, I had a dream in which Carrie Fisher visited me.

Fiction can be serve as a mirror to look back at ourselves or it can be used to make a world dramatically different than what we experience. The closer you get to reality, the more unnerving the experience can be. A fear I have is to have my fate be decided by twelve strangers. Just like we want for our President or teachers, we want the jury to be smartest set of 12 people that ever were assembled, because it’s your life on the line.

Every time I see 8 1/2, I feel I’m seeing a new film. When I was a teenager I saw it bemoaning the life of a film director and an artist. A few years ago, I saw it and I kept focusing on the technical aspects. It’s a word that always seems to be in motion, stillness is only allowed through hideaway character reactions.

A month ago I went onto good ole Twitter.com to join the masses in giving my brief and inconsequential thoughts on the Captain America: Civil War trailer. I was positive but I mentioned that I didn’t need to see any new trailers; I’m sold on that movie. And then, you Mr. Nick Rogers, tweeted back at me that started a conversation that will change the course of the rest our year. Perhaps, our entire lives. Nick, what are we doing, why are we doing this and most importantly, why are we doing this?